How To Get A Dog To Take Pills

Alas, Turk is sick. About a week ago, he started going to the bathroom in the house quite a bit. He had stopped going inside way over a year ago with the exception we left him home alone way too long. This made me suspicious something was wrong with him. Max played it off as he was just being a naughty puppy. Then a couple of days ago I noticed he was scratching at his ear and moving his head funny. That was a tip off that something was definitely wrong. So possible urinary tract infection and ear infection?

I'll be the first to say, I haven't been a very good dog mom and it had been about a year and a half since he had his last shots. Around the time he was supposed to get them we started the house search and it was put on the back burner of things to do. I knew I wanted to find a veterinarian closer to our house and someone would treat him more like a patient than just a slab of meat like his old one in downtown Milwaukee, St. Paul Veterinary Clinic. We found one about a mile from our house the Advanced Veterinary Care Clinic. It was a smaller practice so I was hoping we would get more specialized care.

Come to find out, Turk had an ear infection and would need to have a professional ear flush before we could start antibiotics. Since he doesn't like vets very much, first they had to muzzle him just for the exam and then for the flush he had to be sedated. He had to be left there all day to ensure everything went well. We made sure to get him up to date on all his shots and heart worm medications as well. Basically, like an oil change for the dog. ha.

After his rough day, this was our little buddy...

Pretty adorable using his dad's foot as a headrest. This is also a typical 30 minutes at home after work. Max + Turk + beer + video game

So now little Turk has to take an ear ointment twice a day and two antibiotic pills twice a day for 10 days. On the plus side, if he did have a urinary tract infection, his ear infection medication will clear it up as well.

To go along with the post title, how do you get a dog to take pills?! Lots of people will just shove them down the dogs throat or try to put them in their food. The throat thing isn't pleasant for the dog or you. Many times the dog will eat around the pill if it is in their food.

A way I have learned to get a dog to eat pills that hasn't failed me yet.

Peanut butter.

Super easy steps:

1. Take a normal dog biscuit and smear a little peanut butter on it. Try to have a jar just for the dog because you don't want dog biscuit particles in your own PB & J's later.

2. Smash pill far enough down so that it covers the top of the pill and gives it the peanut butter taste.

3. Let dog devour.

I also want to include more videos on this blog. Although I don't have a fancy HD Flip video camera yet, Christmas present anyone, here is little demonstration.

Now get well Turk!